Murdoch Without Borders
"Murdoch Without Borders" is the fourth episode of the twelfth season of the Murdoch Mysteries and the one hundred seventy-second of the series. It first aired on October 15, 2018. Summary After anti-immigrant laws lead to a mass arrest of Greek men, a cruel immigration officer is found murdered. Inspector Brackenreid regrets releasing his Greek carpenter when he's suspected of the murder. The immediate implementation of the new Immigration Law leads to Station House No. 4 being used to process Greek men who have criminal records for deportation, all Toronto hospitals and staff being prohibited from treating sick emigrants which qualifies them for deportation, and the murder of the Immigration officer James McBride whose body is found wrapped in a rug just outside Copley Construction. Murdoch questions owner Harold Copley, his Union leader Paul Scotch, and his competitor, contractor Andrew Palmer. The premise that killing McBride would stop the deportations, which is impacting Toronto’s workforce, makes no sense to Murdoch for the law remains the law, if he’s alive or dead. Along with criminal migrants, the passing of Canada's 1906 Immigration Act leads to the mass deportation of the sick and unemployed. Brackenreid turns a blind eye to help a Greek carpenter Athos Rellas avoid expulsion, a decision which backfires when reporter Cherry gets wind of the act – subsequent headline story in the Toronto Telegraph puts his career at risk; then, Athos becomes the prime suspect in the murder of the Toronto immigration officer McBride. As feared by Murdoch and the Inspector the xenophobic articles by Louise Cherry incite violence against the local Greek community, leading Murdoch to suspect that Greek immigrants are being deliberately targeted as part of a larger conspiracy. Meanwhile, Dr. Ogden wrestles with the ethical dilemma the government’s Immigration Act presents the Toronto Mercy Hospital – once again ruffling feathers and challenging Dr. Forbes and Dr. Dixon. Character Revelations *Given Watts' facility with languages, it is no surprise when George discovers that the detective speaks Greek. *Brackenreid doesn’t like oily fish (from the “''land of fish and phyllo''”), but “''the strained yogurt is excellent''”. *To Julia delight, she discovers "a rebellious spirit" buried inside William. Continuity *Reporter Louise Cherry of the Toronto Telegraph stirs up more than the headlines – again (ep.1105). *In Greektown, not only does Watts' facility with languages (ep.1116) come in handy again, but his taste for street food (souvlaki, baklava) garners information from the vendor Nostimo, as George discovers. Ironically, George has been the first in line to try new foods in the past (eps.603, 711, 915). *Another of the Murdoch Home surpises is revealed, as Frank Lloyd Wright had promised Julia (ep.1201); this one is the master bedroom's lighting feature. Historical References * This episode takes place in Toronto 1906 – Edward VII (Albert Edward;1841-1910) is King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas. * The Immigration Act of 1906 was the first legal mechanism for enforcing a policy of selective categories of prohibited immigrants; it put into law the right of the government to deport undesirables. In 1906, Frank Oliver, who replaced Clifford Sifton as Minister of the Interior, also cancelled the North Atlantic Trading Company contract which had given bonuses to selected agricultural immigrants from designated European countries. *Before the 1940s, Toronto's nascent Greek population (approx. 3,000) was concentrated in the area bounded by Yonge Street, Carlton Street, Church Street and what is now Dundas Street East. It is this area that will be the site of the 1918 Toronto anti-Greek riot. In 1976, The Toronto Star's Warren Gerard claimed the Danforth was now known as “Little Athens,” and had a population of 30,000 Greek immigrants. [* ] * Malvern Collegiate Institute was founded in 1903 as "East Toronto High School", in what was then the village of East Toronto. A site on Malvern Avenue was acquired and its new building was ready for occupancy in 1906. *Middleton Goldsmith was a surgeon in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He recommended the placement of volatile bromine in all gangrene patients. Goldsmith thoroughly documented his investigations in his report to the Surgeon General entitled A Report on Hospital Gangrene, Erysipelas and Pyaemia, as observed in the departments of the Ohio and the Cumberland, with cases appended. This 1863 report included colorfully detailed case reports and a foldout table containing all his research data, as well as his correspondence with other surgeons. Trivia *Lawson Lumber in Hamilton is used for Copley Construction. *Showrunner Peter Mitchell live tweeted when this episode first aired: "I do think the backdrop when this was being written did influence our storytelling- fear of 'the other' is so enduring... It is kind of a part two of War on Terror." *Actor Kevin Dennis first appeared on Murdoch Mysteries ''as Victor/Grace Reid in 'Victor, Victorian'. Errors * Malvern Collegiate Institute was founded as "East Toronto High School" in 1903, it did not become known as Malvern Collegiate until shortly after the village of East Toronto was annexed by Toronto proper in 1908 – two years ''after the time of this episode. Cast Main Cast Yannick Bisson as Detective William Murdoch Hélène Joy as Dr. Julia Ogden Thomas Craig as Inspector Thomas Brackenreid Jonny Harris as Constable George Crabtree Recurring Cast Daniel Maslany as Detective Watts Shanice Banton as Violet Hart Bea Santos as Louise Cherry Sebastian Pigott as Dr. Dixon James McGowan as Dr. Forbes Stephanie Belding as Nurse Sullivan Guest Cast Jimmy Makris as Athos Rella Jonathan Whittaker as Harold Copley Darrin Baker as Andrew Palmer Vieslav Krystyan as Jakub Czarnecki Kevin Dennis as James McBride Brian Scott Carleton as Paul Scotch Debora Demestre as Eliza Kristina Agosti as Anne McKinnon Thomas Rickert as Frank Oliver Nicholas Brown as Burly Guy Uncredited Cast Nathan Hoppe as Constable McNabb Gallery 1204 Murdoch Without Borders 4.png|Crime Scene and Victim 1204 Murdoch Without Borders3.png|Victim's journal full of cues... 1204 Murdoch Without Borders4.png|Post-mortem report... Category:Season Error Category:Season Twelve